Penticton

Historic & Heritage Sites

Heritage buildings (Picture BC photo)

Penticton, known for its sunshine and beaches, is located at the foot of Okanagan Lake.

This made it a natural transportation hub, first as the southern port for steamers plying the lake and later as headquarters for construction of the Kettle Valley Railway. Explore reminders of the region's past at the Penticton Museum and heritage sites around the city.

S.S. Sicamous

The SS Sicamous, largest remaining steel-hulled sternwheeler in Canada, rests on the southern shores of Okanagan Lake in downtown Penticton. Commissioned by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, BC Lake and River Service and built in Port Arthur, Ontario, it took 19 rail cars to move her engines and hull to the assembly point at Okanagan Landing.

From 1914 to 1936 she made daily runs between Penticton and Okanagan Landing at the north end of the lake carrying up to 250 passengers plus mail and freight.

Through the prosperous 1920s and into the lean years of the '30s, the Sicamous was part of the fabric of Okanagan life. But hard times forced extensive remodeling in 1935 and a year later she was taken out of service and left to rot.

Half a century on, concerned citizens rescued the derelict boat and since 1988 the SS Sicamous Restoration Society has continued restoration and operates the museum.

Start the self-guided tour on the cargo deck where her 7m/23ft-long boiler gobbled 17 tons of coal a day to maintain a cruising speed of 15 knots. On the same deck, learn about another great achievement of the age of steam. A scale model display, constructed by the Kettle Valley Model Railway Club, depicts the KVR line from Midway to Hope. A highlight is the representation of Penticton in the 1930s showing the Sicamous and the tug, Naramata at dock.

Kettle Valley Railway

The Kettle Valley Railway, completed in 1916, traversed nearly 500km/311mi of some of the toughest terrain conquered during the age of steam. The last passenger train pulled into Penticton in 1964, and except for a small section of track in Summerland, the rails are all gone. These days the KVR lives on as a popular hiking trail that provides easy access to the wilderness and countryside along with insight into the region's history. To get the most of both, take a cycle tour with a guide like Ed Kruger of Monashee Adventure Tours.

Riding the section from Chute Lake to Penticton, see the beehive shaped rock ovens built by railway stonemasons to bake bread. Learn how others tried warming frozen nitro glycerin (used to blast the hard rock) in a frying pan over an open fire. Results were predictably disastrous. But somehow they managed to complete the 489m/1604ft Adra spiral tunnel. It's now too unsafe for more than a peek into the entrance, but riders and hikers can go through 49m/161ft Little Tunnel, the line's shortest.

Penticton Museum

The Penticton Museum is located in a compact space, but the displays are organized to maximize coverage of the area's heritage highlights. Learn about local wildlife through the significant collection of stuffed specimens including endangered migratory birds of the South Okanagan and have a look at another endangered critter, the spadefoot toad. This one's alive and living in a terrarium.

Exhibits featuring artifacts of the Okanagan First Nations illustrate their close relationship with the land and animals and the dramatic change to their way of life brought about by European settlement.

Follow the development of Penticton society from the days of the cattle barons through the transformation of the landscape to fruit orchards and learn how both these activities made Penticton a transportation centre, first for sternwheelers and later for steam trains. The museum is open year round.

Check at the Penticton Visitor Centre, on the corner of Eckhardt Avenue and Highway 97, for directions to Penticton historic and heritage sites and details on hours of operation.

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Celebrate the Kettle Valley Railways Centennial in 2015 with a ride on the Kettle Valley Steam Railway! Operating on the only remaining section of the historic Kettle Valley Railway (KVR) - this unique 90 minute journey takes you through beautiful, rural Summerland and onto the Trout Creek Bridge with a stunning view of Okanagan Lake and canyon below.

The sight and sound of our restored century old steam locomotive (the 3716/Spirit of Summerland), an observation game for kids and lively musical entertainment, make every run memorable for the whole family. Book early for our special events which include Easter Trains, our thrilling Great Train Robbery & BBQs and our magical Summerland Christmas Express Trains.